Global Wanderer

3/10/25 – 5/10/25

Following our day out in Hiroshima, we took a shinkansen up towards Japan’s cultural capital, Kyoto – whipping past little towns and Japanese countryside at 300kph is a real experience! We checked into our accommodation for the night (a huge apartment!), before heading out to get our first taste of Kyoto.

The Shinkansen to Kyoto

It is important to note that Kyoto is packed with tourists year round, being one of the most popular destinations in the country – but there is really good reason for this. Being the imperial capital of Japan for over 1000 years means that Kyoto is absolutely packed to the brim with historical buildings, cultural artefacts, and traditional Japanese infrastructure, and it really does feel at times like you’re walking through historical Japan.

Some interesting temples we came across whilst walking in Kyoto

The famous Kiyomizu-dera, perhaps one of the most visited shrines in all of Japan, and its surrounding temples and waterfalls, was unsurprisingly on our itinerary for the day. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kiyomizu-dera is known for its incredible wooden construction (raised 13 metres up from the hillside, and constructed completely without nails) – inside there is the opportunity to hit a traditional gong whilst following those making prayer rituals. There are also some fabulous views to be had on the walk along the hillside! Also to be found here was the impressive Koyasu-no-to pagoda, a three-storey, bright red building that functions as the entrance point to the shrine complex.

Kiyomizu-dera, the Koyasu-no-to pagoda, and some of the views from the site (and a little jizo)

Leaving Kiyomizu-dera, you find yourself on one of Kyoto’s busiest streets, the single-lane road leading from the temple to the city centre. It is packed with shops, cafes and restaurants, and tourists from just about everywhere under the sun – but step off this street into any of the alleyways and side streets and the tourists instantly disappear (a handy tip if you’re getting overwhelmed by the mass of moving people!).

The busy streets of Kyoto

We continued our exploration of Kyoto as the sun began to set, stopping at the Yasaka pagoda, a 46-metre tall shrine nestled off a little side street in the Gion district (the central part of Old Kyoto), and the nearby Yasaka shrine, surrounded by beautiful illuminated lanterns – the fact it was starting to rain did nothing to detract from the incredible sights!

Nighttime in Kyoto

In our quest to find the best food in Japan, we sought out a highly-recommended tonkatsu place, Kyoto Tonkatsu Katsuda Shijokarasuma, with a queue reaching down the street. Choosing a menu set (chicken and pork, double pork, fish) was the only choice we had to make once inside, whilst the chefs prepared in front of us at the bar a variety of delicious fresh katsu. It was certainly worth the wait!

The next morning, we took a train out to the Fushimi Inari shrine, well-known for the thousands of red gates (torii) that line the path. Unfortunately, the heavens had completely opened up at this point, and due to the water logging of my phone, I wasn’t able get any good pictures – but it certainly was an impressive sight. We headed back to the city, and began a walk through the Nisheki market – a food market bursting at the seams with street food – before spending the rest of the afternoon wandering through the Gion district, checking out the old streets, and spotting two maiko (apprentice geisha) on their way to work, which was pretty amazing!

Fresh oysters at Nisheki market, and the streets of Gion

Dinner that night was a late one, as it was the only time we were able to get a booking at Ponshu-ya Santoku, where we were treated to a wonderful omekase (chef’s choice), consisting of several courses of beautifully fresh sashimi, as well as oden, a traditional Japanese one-pot comfort dish, paired with some interesting sake-tasting! The meal made for a brilliant evening, and was a great way to cap off our time in Japan’s cultural capital.

The incredible food at Ponshu-ya Santoku